pFriem Barrel Aged Imperial Stout (2018) - Brew Review

pFriem Barrel Aged Imperial Stout (2018)

Background

Josh Pfriem started pFriem Family Brewers in 2012 with support from friends and business partners, Ken Whiteman and Rudy Kellner. You’ll find pFriem in Hood River just south of the Washington State border. Also, they are situated across the street from a beautiful waterfront park and the Columbia River. Enjoy breathtaking views while savoring pFriem’s beers inside or around the fire-pit on the outdoor patio. Learn more about pFriem Family Brewers by clicking here.

pFriem Barrel Aged Imperial Stout is inspired by brewers’ efforts to win over the Russian Czar Peter the Great. As written by Greg D. Willis, Professional Beer Guy, for the Alexander Palace Time Machine –

“When Peter the Great opened Czarist Russia to the West in the early 18th century, dark ales called “Porter” were all the rage in England. Porters, named after the working class who devoured them, were relatively easy-drinking brews with a small percentage of highly roasted malt. The result was a dark brown, toffee-flavored libation fit for mass consumption. Arthur Guinness took the idea to Ireland, increased the dark, coffee-tinted profile and added “Extra Stout” to his label, thus creating another new beer style.”

Russian Czar Peter the Great

“Peter the Great fell in love with stouts during his 1698 trip to England, and he requested that some be sent to the Imperial court in Russia. Much to the embarrassment of the English, the beer had spoiled somewhere along its tedious thousand-mile journey! Determined as always to save face, the Barclay brewery of London came to the rescue by rapidly increasing the amount of alcohol and hops for their second effort. The result was an inky black concoction with enough warmth and complexity to immediately become a sensation throughout Russia. The “Russian Imperial Stout” had been born and quickly became popular throughout European Russia.”

Description

pFriem Barrel Aged Imperial Stout boasts high alcohol by volume (11.5% ABV) and plenty of malt character. The beer features low to moderate levels of carbonation with huge roasted, chocolate and burnt malt flavors. Suggestions of dark fruit and flavors of higher alcohols are quite evident. To make this beer, pFriem brewers took their Imperial Stout and put it into Oola Distillery and Heaven Hill Distillery bourbon barrels and aged the beer for one year. Over the course of the year the bourbon and tannins of the oak seeped into the beer.

Review

My 2 year old bottle of pFriem Barrel Aged Imperial Stout poured a deep dark brown color – basically black. In addition, a fluffy mocha foam topped the pour. Aromas of vanilla, bourbon, dark chocolate and tobacco wafted from my glass. My first sips delivered dark chocolate, roasted malt, caramel, vanilla, coffee, tobacco and bourbon tastes. Further sips revealed cherry and prune with a small amount of black pepper. The beer finished semi-dry with notable oak tannins (a little more tannin than I’d prefer). Thick and creamy, this beer provided a full-bodied, rich and warming mouthfeel. Overall, pFriem Barrel Aged Imperial Stout provided round, bold, and strong flavors that are excellent but a little less tannin would please me more. Cool nights while sitting by the fire provide the best time for drinking this beer. However, to be honest I’d enjoy it whenever the mood and opportunity struck.

pFriem Barrel Aged Imperial Stout Profile

ABV: 11.5%

IBU: 70

Serve at: 45-50°F (I recommend 50)

Ingredients:

Malt- Rahr Pale, Simpsons-Crystal Dark, Crystal Extra Dark, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Golden Naked Oats

Hops – Warrior, Chinook

Yeast – American Ale

Wood – Bourbon Barrels

Beer Style: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer/Imperial Stout

Other: Aged in Oola Distillery & Heaven Hill Distillery bourbon barrels for 1 year

Brewer: pFriem Family Brewers; Hood River, OR

BONUS: A Little Food and Beer Pairing Experiment

pFriem Family Brewers recommends the following food pairings with this beer – oysters, mussels, lobster, crab, clams, scallops, and calamari. Ham, prosciutto, pancetta, and bacon. Hearty beef stews, short ribs, root vegetables, potatoes, stuffing. Chocolate based desserts such as: truffles, crème brûlée, raspberry or strawberry tart.

After my initial tasting, I decided to try a little beer/food pairing experiment with my remaining pFriem Barrel Aged Imperial Stout.

First, I tried 72% dark Cacao chocolate with my pFriem Barrel Aged Imperial Stout. Chocolate and stouts normally pair well together. However, in this case the chocolate extremely accentuated the tobacco taste aspect of the beer. As a result, the beer immediately turned me off.

Second, I tried English Coastal Cheddar Cheese (a sharp, dry cheese) with my beer. To my surprise, the cheese became creamier and less sharp. Furthermore, the cheese wonderfully accentuated the bourbon, vanilla, cherry and pepper flavor components of this beer.

In short, my pairing experiment provided an opposite result of my expectation. I encourage all of you to challenge your beer/food perceptions, expectations and biases. The culinary world and the brewing world offer exciting opportunities for new and delicious discoveries. Every one of us taste and smell things differently. Explore food and beer together! You’ll find a new world of tasting fun and delectable flavors.